Electrostatic machine



July 16, 1940- A a LANDERHOLM 2,208,217

LECTROSTATIC CHAINE Filed April 13. 1937 5 Shoots-Shen?. 1

July 15. l940- A E. LANDERHOLM mc'raosu'rrc ummm Filed April 13, 1957 5 Shoots-Sheet 2 July 16, 1940. La LANnERl-loun BLECTROSTATIC NACHI!! Filed April 13. 1937 5 Shafts-Shut 3 INV EN TOR.

July 16, 1940- A a LANnERHoLM BLBCTROSTATIC KACHIHB Filed April 13, 1937 5 Shoe ts-Shget 4 a. cnJutrLnam Y Filed Aprn 13. 1931 A, E. LANDERHLM ELCTROSTATIC HACHINB July 16, 1940.

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mvsm'on n Je L l ATTORNE Patented .my 1s,- 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELEOTBOBTATIC MACHINE Axel E. Landerholm, New York, N. Y. Application April 13, 1.987, Serial No. 138,701 Claims. (C1. T11-329) This invention relata to electrostatic machines for producing and storing up electrostatic charges for various usm and purposes.

A main object of the invention is to provide a simple and eicient and durable apparatus whereby electrostatic charges may be built up and stored by the use o! a stream of gas,

A further obiect is to provide en apparatus wherein a charge collector is related inductively with a charge reservoir element and charges are moved from one and to another by the action of a circulating stream of gas.

A further object is to provide a simple apparatus whereby the main terminals may be adiusted with respect to each other without interfering with the circulating system.

A still further object is to provide a system in which the gas circulates in a substantially closed system so as to be used over and over again.

Generally speaking my invention comprises a pair of elements such as a charge distributing or collecting element such as a comb or set of needles or sharp points related inductively to a charge storage reservoir such as a hollow ball terminal, which are mechanically connected. in one example and as a preferred form only. by a. system of passages wherein a gas new: so that the gas picks up the charge on one element and passes it to a reservoir or storage element. In

one type of the system the gas when thus functioning is exhausted from the system when it has deposited its charge but in another type of my system the gas will flow continuously in the system and repeatedly pick up and deposit' charges again and again and continue this cycle indennitely.

It is well known that a sharp metal point on a charged conductor will cause the charge to rapidly disappear whether it be positive or negative and that charged air particles stream oir the point in the form of the so-called "electric wind." It is equally true that ii' a needle point be held near to a charged conductor. the conductor will be discharged. For in this case the needle becornes' oppositely charged by induction and electrines the air which passes across and discharges the conductor.

A point is a region of extremely sharp curvature where an intense chargeY density obtains, and a consequent large .potential gradient just on the tip. If the charge in question is positive, it will attract and snatch out of the immediate air some of the ever present iree electrons floating there: and if the charge intensity is suiicient some of these will attain a velocity great enough to knock electrons on' neutral air molecules on the way-a process known as ionization by ooilision. The fresh electrons rush towards the needie in the same manner, and the positive heavy portions of the molecule repelled away. constis tuting the above mentioned "electrical wind." Ever present positive particles in the nearby air Join in this streaming movement. This collision,- ionization takes place' in the thin layer of air in intimate contact with the needle points, the thin 10 skin of air which adheres so close to the metal surface that it and the swift electronic processes taking place therein are but little disturbed by the comparatively sluggish air stream flowing by in the air passages. The repelled positive particles, however, are not conned to this thin layer but are urged away, aided by the attraction of the nearby sphere, toward which they are heading when the air current sweeps` thernaway.

Ii the charge on the needles is negative. and the intensity sunicient, surface electrons will detach themselves and be driven off, together with near-by ever-present negative particles oi air and dust; and these are swept away in the air pas sages.

A certain minimum potential must obtain betore any appeciable discharge will take place from a needle point. For very sharp points. positively charged discharges have been observed at 2500 volts. For similar points, negatively charged. minimum potential is several hundred volts` lower. These potentials are low in electrostatic tension. and are readily available for "priming y the machine. An ordinary electrophoro'us; for example, may have a potential of 50,000 volts. 85

More particularly the invention comprises l -charge distributing or collecting element such as a comb or set of sharp points or teeth or needles which are disposed in inductive relation to a termina] such as a metallic hollow ball. The needles i0 and the ball are directly associated with a series of passages or conduits through which a gas passes. This gas will now past the needles and' pick up a charge of one sign and then transfer it by continuous now to a hollow terminal reservoir where it is stored up. In one form, the gas flows out of the system and in another form the gas is returned to the system to repeat the cycle. Still more particularly the system comprises two charge collecting and distributing elements Such as needles or combs inductively related respectively to a pair of hollow metallic ball terminals or storage elements. The collecting clement of one pair oi' inductively related elements is connected by passages or conduits or closed passages i, nais to thestorage element or reservoir ot the other pair oi' elements and similarly the collecting element o! the other patro! inductively related elements is connected by passages or conduits with the storage element or terminal element of the rst pair. A stream of gas such as alr which may or may not be laden with a fine dust is then :assed from element A in one pair oi elements to element B in the other pair of elements, and trom element A' in the second pair o'i elements to element B in the iirst pair of elements. Thus the charges are gradually stored and built up on the storage elements which are adjustable at desired distances to regulate the discharge voltage and are so adjustable without in any way eiecting the ow of the collecting and distributing stream oi gas.

With these and other objects in view which will readily appear as the nature oi the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination oi parts which will hereinafter be fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated, a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being understood. however. that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein shown but that alterations and modifications within the scope oi the appended claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevation oi' the apparatus with certain parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, enlarged. oi' one oi the terminal units with some parts shown in section and other parts broken away:

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device shown ln Fig. 2. with portions broken away and others in section:

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section through the device taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein similar reference characters designate correspondlng parts throughout the several views; l and II are elongated bese blocks of insulating material with feet I2 oi insulating material on block I0 and rollers I3 of similar material on block II. Extending between the blocks I0 and II are three-pipes I4, I5, and I6 which at one end are rigidly connected to short pipe extensions I1,-

I8, and I9 fastened to and extending into block I0. At their other ends the pipes I 4. I5, and I 6 are telescopically connected to pipes 20, 2l, and 22 fastened to and extending into block ll and being much longer than short pipes I1, I8, and I9 and permitting-the blocks I0 and Il, while maintaining the pipe connections intact, to be adusted at di'erent distances from each other to control the gap between the terminal elec trodes. The pipe l is at a lower level than the other two and has a T-connection therein with a valve 24 connected to an inlet pipe 25 to admit a desired current oi air or other gas into the circulatory system at any'desired pressure.

Rising from the blocks I0 and II are column supporting members h'aving desired gas passages therein and corresponding parts of the supports rising from the block II are numbered the same as those on the column rising from the block l0 except for the primes attached thereto for convenlence. These columns or supporting members are formed oi a series ot channelled plates such as 2S', 21, 28, 28, and 3! connected together by means oi rivets II. Their conjunction affords air passages such as 32, 22, and 34. and 'a channel for a conductor 35. The pipe I8 connects to the bottom oi the vertical air passage 33t; the pipe Il to a lateral extension passage 34a ci the passage 34; the pipe i9 connects to a lateral extension passage 32a oi the passage 32.

At the block ll the pipe 2U connects to a lateral extension 32'a. of a passage 32'; pipe 2| connects to 23'; and pipe 22 connects to lateral extension 34'a of passage 34. At the top of the column rising from block I0 is a head block or cani ng formed oi' sections 3B and 31 held together by screw bolts 3B. The columns and the head blocks are made oi insulating material also. The parts oi' the head block at thc top of the column rising from block II are numbered the same as similar parts shown ln Fig. 2 except for the primes. In section 36 is a passage 39 connecting at its lower end with passage 32 in the supporting column and at it 'upper end opening into the leit end oi a pipe 42, journalled near its middle at 43 in the section 31, and extending to the right beyond the section 31. On the outer end of the 'pipe 42 is a sleeve 44 supporting the metal screen 45 provided with a series of small holes 4F therein. The periphery of. the screen supports the interthreaded heml-spheres 41 and 48 of a spherical metallic terminal ball which adiacent the head casing has an opening 56 spaced from the pipe 42 and curved inwardly as at 49.

The section 35 also has a vertical passage 4U which at its lower end connects with central passage 33 in the supporting column and at its upper end opens into a large chamber or reservoir 5I formed in the head casing by the abutment of the sections 3S and 31. The section 31 by reason of block 31' is provided with curved annular passage 52 which extends from chamber 5I around in a smooth curve and opens into an annular passage 4I in the section 31 which at its lower end connects with passage 34 in the supporting column. Embedded in the block 31' and extending therefrom into the passar". 52 is a series of sharp points forming projecting portions 54 of a curved comb member 53. This comb member. is connected to a wire or conductor 35 which extends downwardly through the channel formed between plates 28 and 29 and extends across the machine to connect to a similar comb in the opposite head casing. In this apparatus everything is of insulating material except the conductor, the combs 53 and 53', the sleeves 44 and 44', the screens 45 and 45', and the hemlspherical terminal sections 41. 48. and '41', 4l', althoughthe rivets 1I and 3 I' and thescrew bolts 38 and 38' may be made of metal or oi insulating material.

In the drawings, the Fig. 6 is represented as a diagrammatic showing oi a somewhat similar apparatus of modiiied form but involving a closed circulatory system with a pressure pump therein.,

In this modlhcatlon there is shown a. pair oi spaced hollow spherical terminals 55 and 55' mounted on sleeves 56 and 56' which extend outwardly from hollow casings 51 and 51'. These casings are divided into two separate chambers by means of vertical partitions 58 and 58. These chambers are numbered 59. 5U, and 55', 6 0'. Con- Aduits 5I and 6l' are mounted on partitions 58 and 58 and extend within the sleeves 56 and 5S' and connect chambers Il and Il' with the interipr of the terminals 5l and ll'.

A pump G2 is operatively connected to pipes and 04 and is adapted to force a gaseous medium such as air in the directions indicated by the arrows. At the right end. pipe 6I is connected to chamber E9' and at its left end it is connected to chamber 8U. Pipe El at its right end is connected to chamber and at its left end is con nected to chamber l. The flow of the gaseous elements through the system is therefore clearly shown by the arrows.

In the chambers Eil and 60 are disposed an.- nular badi-e rings 65, 65' supported'on the inner walls of the chambers 60 and 69 and with their inner edges lying close to the sleeves EB. 5B'. Between the .rings E5, 65' and the adjacent terminals 55, 55' in chambers 60, E0' are disposed ring-like combs or series of needle like points such as 68, 66', disposed around the periphery o! a metallic collar such as B1. 8l' mounted on the sleeve 56. 5 These comb elements are connected by a wire 6B preferably passing out ot the chambers through the battle ring 65, 65'. In the terminals 55. 55' are disposed a series of needles or comb teeth such as 69, 69', formed of metal points, and disposed adjacent the end o! the pipe 6i. Bi.

In considering the operation of the preferred forms oi the invention, it will be apparent that in each and every form there is a current of gaseous medium iiowng past a series oi chargecarrying points disposed adjacent to a terminal bearing and storing a charge o! an opposite sign and that means are provided for the gaseous medium to carry charges of suitable sign to that adjacent terminal.

In the form shown in Fig. 2, the air current admitted into the pipe i5 will travel up the middle passage 33 to the reservoir chamber 5i and then will pass across the comb teeth or needle peints 54 bearing, for example. a negative charge, and pick up that charge and pass through the annular passages 52 to the larger circular passage 4i, and thence to passage 34 in support co1- umn for casing sections 35 and 31 downwardly to pipe H through lateral passage 34a. It then traverses pipe I4 to lat-eral passage 32'a, thence to passage 32', up this passage to rear end of pipe 42' and through this pipe to the interior of the terminal sections 41'. 48.' wherein it gives up its charge to the walls of the terminal and passes out of the shell through the space between pipe 42 and curved portion 49' of the shell.

Similarly air passing from the inlet pipe 25 amd passing to the right as in Fig. 4 will pass to vertical passage 33. to reservoir chamber 5i', through annular passages .52', past comb teeth or needles 54', picking up a positive charge thereon and carrying it to circular passage 4I', down passage 3l to lateral extension Sl'a, through pipe i5 to lateral passage 32a to vertical pasage 32 through pipe-42 into the interior of the hollow ball terminal element formed o! heini-spherical elements 41 and 48 and will deposit the charge thereon its speed of now being retarded by the Perforated screen I5 so as to permit time for the proper deposit ot the charge before the gas passes out the opening adjacent curved portion 50 of the ball into the atmosphere. By adjusting the telescoping pipes connecting the hase blocks I0 and il the distance between the adjacent surfaces oi' the balls may be regulated to determine the voltage atwhich there will occur a discharge therebetween.

Inconsideringtbeformsbminnmtitis clear that this is s. completely closed system u the gu is clearly shown as returning over and again the same path to repeat its cycle of picking up and depositing charges. Starting at the pump 61 at the bottom thereof the gasis forced to the lett through Pipe 84 carrying what is shown in this example as a positive charge and carries it through said pipe up to chamber il then through pipe li into interior ot ball il, then the charge is deposited on the ball but the gas leaves the ball passing through sleeve 8! into chamber 63 past combo or sharp points tl alter passing baille plates or rings i5 then down pipe 83 to the upper side of the pump then continues along pipe 83 up through it to chamber BI through pipe 6i' into the interior of ball $5'. In this case the stream is carrying a negative charge picked up from the combs which charge it deposits upon the interior oi bali El' then leaving the ball through sleeve 58' intochamber 8l' past rings tia" past combs 66 down pipe 84 and back to the bottom o! the pump thus completing one cycle o! operation.

It is to be understood that when I use the word stream herein I intend to cover a continuous single stream of gaseous material flowing through the system or a stream the parts oi' which. as herein illustrated in the preferred form o! the invention, are divided at the inlet pipe and travel in separate and distinct paths through the device.

I have therefore in these examples o! the preferr-ed forrn of the invention shown that a pair ox' elements are inductively related and that one ls used as a sort of collector oi charges from which the chsrges'sre picked up by a stream of distributing gas and the other is used as a sort o1' storage element and that there may be two sets of these pairs of elements such that the charges are picked from an element of one pair and carried to and deposited upon the other element of the other pair and vice versa.

While the invention has-been described in detail and with respectto a present preferred form thereof, it is not to be limited to such details and forms since many changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope o! the invention in its broadest aspects. Hence it is desired to cover any and all forms and modiiications oi the invention which may come within the language orscope oi any one or more o! the .appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. An electrostatic machine which comprises a charge collecting element and a charge storing element disposed in inductive relation. and means including gaseous streams flowing' past said elements to remove a charge oi' given sign from the charge collecting element and to deposit a charge o! opposite sign on the charge storing element.

2. An electrostatic machine which comprises a charge collecting element 'provided with sharp points inductively disposedl relatively to a hollow ball charge storingterminal element. and means including gaseous streams -fiowing past said elements to remove a charge of given sign from said points and to deposit a charge ot opposite sign upon the bell element.

3. An electrostatic machine which comprises two pairs oi elements each pair comprising 'a charge collecting element and a charge storing element disposed in inductive relation. and means including 'a gaseous stream nowing past said elements of each pair to remove a charge of given sign from one element o! each pair and tn two pairs oi' elements each pair comprising a charge collecting element and a charge storing element disposed in inductive relation, and means including a gaseous stream flowing past all the elements to remove' a charge o! given sign from the collecting element of each pair and to deposit it upon the charge storing element of the other pair.

5. An electrostatic machine which comprises two pairs of elements each pair comprising a charge collecting element provided with sharp points inductively related to a hollow bail charge storing terminal element, and means including a gaseous stream owing past all o! said elements to remove a charge of given sign from one element of each pair and to deposit it upon the other element o! the other pair.

6. An electrostatic machine which comprises two pairs of elements cach pair comprising a charge collecting element provided with sharp points inductively disposed relatively to a hollow ball charge storing terminal element, and means including a gaseous stream owing past said elements of each pair to remove a charge of given sign from the points of each pair and deposit it upon they ball element of the other pair.

7. An electrostatic machine which comprises a pair of elements each pair comprising a charge collecting element and a charge storing element disposed in inductive relation, a support for each pair of elements, 'adjustable connections between said supports, said supports and connections having passages therein for connecting said elements, and means including gaseous streams iowing in said passages past said elements of each pair, said passages disposed in suchmanner as to lead the gaseous streams progressively to and past the charge collecting element oi' one pair, thence to and past the charge storing element of the other pair, whereby the stream will remove a charge of a given sign from one element in each pair and deposit it upon the other element of the other Pair.

8. An electrostatic machine which comprises two pairs of elements each pair comprising a' charge collecting element and a charge storing element disposed in inductive relation, a support for each pair oi' elements, adiustable connections.

between said supports, eaidsupports and connections having passages therein for connecting said elements. and means including gaseous streams Sewing in said passages past said elements of each pair. said in such manner as to lead the gaseous streams pro gressively to and past the charge collecting element o! one pair. thence to and past the charge storing element of the other pairwhereby 'the stream will remove a charge oi given sign'irom the charge collecting element oi one pair and deposit it u'pon the charge storing element o! the other pair.

9. An electrostatic machine which comprises two pairs of elements each pair comprising a charge collecting element provided with sharp points inductively disposed relatively to a hollow ball charge storing terminal element. a support for each pair of elements, adjustable connections between said supports, said supports and oonnections having passages therein for connecting said elements, and means including gaseous streams flowing in said passages past said elements of each pair, said passages disposed in such manner as to lead the gaseous streams progressively to and past the charge-collecting element of one pair, thence to and past the charge storing element of the other pair, whereby the stream will remove a charge of given sign from one elementof each pair and deposit it upon the other element oi' the other pair.

10. An electrostatic machine which comprises two pairs of elements, each pair comprising a charge collecting element provided with sharp points inductively disposed relatively to-a hollow ball charge storing terminal element, a support for each pair of elements. adjustable connections between said supports, said supports and connections having passages therein for connecting said elements, and means including gaseous streams flowing in said passages past said elements of each pair, said passages disposed in such manner as to lead the gaseous streams progressively to and past the charge collecting element of one pair, thence to and past the charge storing element o! the other pair, whereby the stream will remove a charge of given sign from the points of one pair and deposit it upon the ball element of the other pair. i

AXEL E, LANDERHOIM.. 

